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Sunday, May 05, 2013

FPL: pushing two new nuclear reactors in the face of sea level rise, in the nation's most vulnerable region ... by gimleteye

My morning weekend walk is a place where I can see and contemplate the effects of sea level rise. On a narrow, unimproved trail through the mangroves what is visible is the movement of mangrove seedlings upland. In other words, the higher tides are rapidly pushing the mangrove front across the trail to higher ground. This is not imagination or speculation.

As hard as it is to reconcile the movement of small mangroves seedlings with the eventual threat to the entire south Florida economy, so it is difficult to match the slow, plodding dispute between the US EPA and Miami-Dade county water managers over billions in needed infrastructure improvements with the plan by FPL to build two new nuclear reactors at Turkey Point, costing now somewhere around $30 billion.

One way to frame the problem: if water managers are now acknowledging in public policies (forced by a federal lawsuit) that sea level rise is a clear and present danger to the operation of wastewater treatment facilities -- through which, by the way, South Florida could become uninhabitable long before flood waters reach homes and businesses -- then why has FPL managed to manoever its permitting for the two new nuclear reactors without even so much as a nod to facts related to the impacts of sea level rise on its rate base in Florida?

The answer is that FPL -- notwithstanding its management of political access up to and including the White House -- and its executives are paid millions and millions to look the other way. This accounts for the startling, slow as molasses way that government is reacting to climate change.

Associated Press – Mon, Mar 11, 2013
MIAMI (AP) -- Three major sewage plants in South Florida could be reduced to shrinking islands in less than 50 years due to climate change, according to a group of climate scientists.

The scientists believe rising sea level will threaten some of the region's most vital facilities. It will also flood land, streets and neighborhoods nearby, The Miami Herald reported Sunday.

The scenario was drawn up by five experts from the University of Miami, Florida International University and Florida Atlantic University retained by Biscayne Bay Waterkeeper. The clean-water advocacy group is challenging Miami-Dade's $1.5 billion plan to repair the county's troubled sewage system.
Most of the money would go toward repairing the county's aging, spill-plagued sewage system. Biscayne Bay Waterkeeper contends it would make more sense to move the plants to more protected inland sites.

"At some point, and I hope it's this year, Miami-Dade government and everybody has to start truly recognizing that we're in for it, that this is coming," University of Miami geology professor Harold Wanless told the paper.

The scientists believe the plants in coastal Southern Miami-Dade, North Miami and Virginia Key would remain dry for several more decades — but could be damaged by a two-foot rise in the sea level projected to arrive in less than 50 years.

The county Water and Sewage Department drafted its proposal under the pressure of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lawsuit and potentially millions in fines. However, the plan doesn't contain any information about dealing with flooding tides, storm surge and other environmental and climate change risks.
Wanless hopes the data will result in changes before the final plan is sealed.

University of Miami atmospheric science professor Brian Solden said many communities will face difficult and expensive decisions in South Florida as sea levels continue to rise. Even a one foot increase in Miami Beach could worsen high tide flooding there and inundate much of South Miami-Dade.
"If you look at downtown Miami, where all the new places have gone up, all the new condominiums, the billions going in there, those places are at some of the lowest levels," Soden told the paper. "It's a broader impact all of South Florida is going to be facing sooner or later. Right now, a lot of people are choosing not to look at it."

The deputy director of the county water and sewer department defended the plans. Doug Yoder said they are addressing the most pressing concersn and in a cost-effect manner and could build another plant in another 20 or 30 years if needed.

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Leap of Faith: The executives at FPL, Duke Power, etc. are not stupid, and really do know customers in much of the rest of the world, including those in our SW states are now enjoying competitively SOLAR power.

But sadly, giving them that benefit of doubt forces us to conclude that their persistent attempts to force customers and the federal government into ponying up money for nuke plants is simply a grab for more money under rules of status quo, hoping they can hang onto their share values for just a little while longer.

Either that- for which they should be indicted, tried and convicted for misfeasance to the public and their shareholders, or they are incredibly stupid and need to be ousted for gross incompetence.

First unfortunately, we may need to elect some adults (Democrats) to Tallahassee who can do things without ALEC's (GOP's employers) approval. And that will be very tough, given the gerrymandering and voting screw ups with which we must live.

Anyone that believes solar power is a commercially viable technology for base load in it's current state is not knowledgeable on the subject matter to debate.

Could it be that the authorities that make decisions about nuclear power plant siting are relying on real science when it comes to global warming and sea level rise rather that the alarmist voodoo pseudo-science of the left?

Quotes hall of fame - worth another look:

Jonathon Dunlop of Australia about the Miami Airport:"This is the most disorganized shambles of an airport that exists on this earth.''April 01, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment on Post__________________________________On "Colony Collapse Disorder":Anonymous said...I say lets wait till the last tree is going to be cut down, the last bit of oil used, the last lowland coastal areas flooded before we make any rash decisions that might effect the economy.April 21, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment_________________________________On Bee “Colony Collapse Disorder” being blamed on cell phones:Anonymous said...Hmmm. What are bees doing with cell phones, anyhow?April 20, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment_________________________________On South Florida Water Supply:Ron Littlepage said...Unfortunately, we know who would win when it comes to allowing development to run amok and it's not the wildlife.April 20, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment Post_________________________________Lesley Blackner said:In Florida, the sad reality is that government exists to serve the development machine, not the citizenry. That's why it's proper to say that in Florida we have government of the developer, by the developer and for the developer.April 22, 2007 Eye on Miami Post_________________________________On City of Miami and Miami Dade County giving $1,000,000 each to Jorge Perez’s Related Group (The Group's 2005 revenues were $3.25 billion.):"It makes as much sense as me donating half my paycheck to Warren Buffett.”May 6, 2007 Miami Herald Columnist Ana Menendez_________________________________On the FCAT Test:"'Florida is a serial mis-user of test scores.''Bob Schaeffer, director for Massachusetts-based FairTest.May 25, 2007 Miami Herald_________________________________Clifford Schulman (Greenberg Traurig Lobbyist):"This is the first time in 33 years that any one has accused me of fraud." June 28, 2007 Miami HeraldI say: hmm.__________________________________Max Rameau, Homeless Activist:"I respect Ron Book for his work with the Homeless Trust, but the Liberty City community and others have given broad support to this idea. I don't know that a big-time millionaire lobbyist can tell us what is best for Liberty City and the black community.'' July 28, 2007 Miami Herald__________________________________"After years of mismanagement under a board of political appointees and neighborhood activists, Miami-Dade County administrators have proposed a new way to run the troubled empowerment zone program. The plan: Bring in new political appointees and neighborhood activists."November 6, 2007 Miami Herald: Reporter Scott Hiaasen______________________________________"Saying "Greater Everglades" and "Northern Everglades" is not saying Everglades -- other places are deserving of being protected too, but there is only one Everglades. The main thing is to keep the 'Main Thing' the main thing -- which, lately, has not been the main thing." Bob Mooney - on Listserve "Everglades Commons"________________________________________"Does anyone in their right mind believe that Florida could conduct postal balloting without a major screw-up or scandal? Heavens, no! The whole country is keenly aware that our state is a sump hole of incompetence and corruption."Carl Hiaasen - March 16, 2008 Miami Herald_______________________________________On the Charter Review: "Commissioners want us to vote on their own pet changes, ideas the review team explicitly rejected. And, they're throwing their blatantly self-serving ballot questions at us at the same time. What a slap in the face to the charter review team — and to all of us!" Michael Lewis of Miami Today - April 10, 2008______________________________________On the Miami Dade County Commission:''Unfortunately, this is a commission that would build a cyanide factory next to a playground if you hired the right 12 lobbyists,'' Miami Lakes Councilman Michael Pizzi - May 14, 2008______________________________________"The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over. I think that Republicans, Democrats, everybody recognizes that that’s not a smart way to build communities." President Barack Obama in Fort Meyers - February 10, 2009______________________________________"So."Dick Cheney's response when told that two thirds of Americans did not support the war in Iraq. - Time Magazine 2008______________________________________"It seems like a bad idea can always find a home in the Florida Legislature." - Howard Simon - Executive Director of Florida ACLU - March 24, 2010

______________________________________Complete this sentence: South Florida really needs a..."Regional plan for controlled growth (before it becomes a concrete jungle similar to Houston), and a completely new set of elected officials that make decisions based on what's good for the future of South Florida instead of what's good for their wallets. - Jack McCabe, Real Estate expert who predicted the housing boom's end. - August 29, 2011 Miami Herald